X (previously Twitter) continues to maneuver in the direction of a extra minimalistic, simplified UI, which is able to ultimately see the elimination of reply, like and re-share buttons from the posts in the principle feed, changing them with new motion controls as an alternative.

Which is able to look one thing like this:

Whereas the present motion buttons are nonetheless displayed on this instance, shared by @ aaronp613 on X, you’ll be able to see how the brand new side-swiping submit response performance will work.

The present overview of the brand new UI, as previewed by Musk final month, is:

• Swipe proper to answer
• Swipe left to Like
• Faucet and maintain for all different actions

And that may also, ultimately, embrace the elimination of the present motion buttons, which Musk believes will make the principle feed “very clear”.

Musk has been speaking about this plan for a while, with his view for X being a extra stripped-down model of the present show.

X truly kicked this off final October, with the elimination of headlines and snippets from hyperlink previews, paring them again to only a picture with a URL indicator within the feed. X reversed course on that barely a month later, by re-implementing headlines overlaid on the picture. However Elon believes {that a} extra primary design will enhance the aesthetics of the app.

Which may very well be a private desire, however once you personal the app, your desire is what issues, I assume.

The up to date format, which has no launch date as but, may ultimately change into a extra intuitive approach to work together inside the app, although it’s going to take time, whereas the elimination of motion buttons can be prone to lead to a discount of total consumer exercise.

For instance, again in 2020, within the lead-up to the U.S. election, Twitter eliminated the choice to retweet a submit fully for U.S. customers, referring folks to cite tweet as an alternative, as a part of a broader effort to fight the amplification of false stories. Which labored, with Twitter later reporting that it helped to cut back the unfold of false claims, although it additionally brought about a 20% discount in tweet sharing total.

Based mostly on this, it may truly be a helpful change in some respects, by including just a little further friction to retweets, versus merely tapping a button to additional amplify a submit in-stream. However it’s going to additionally cut back X’s utilization metrics, which may impression total platform sentiment.

It’s unimaginable to say, at this stage, whether or not it will likely be a helpful transfer in the long run, although it’s going to undoubtedly take some getting used to.

I believe that X will look to implement the swipe-to-respond performance whereas preserving the motion buttons at first, as a method to higher combine the choice, earlier than it appears to be like to eradicate the in-stream choices fully.

Both manner, some extra attention-grabbing modifications coming to the app.